Marko Horb

The Horb lab is focused on identifying the signaling networks leading to the specification of the various pancreas lineages. In particular we seek to define the lineage map of how each individual cell type is specified. We recently completed a microarray analysis identifying downstream targets of the pancreatic endocrine transcription factor Ngn3. We showed that it is possible to promote specific endocrine lineages over other. Specifically we showed that short activation of Ngn3 is sufficient to promote beta and delta cell lineages over alpha cell lineages. We have now identified several factors specific to one lineage over another and are now examining their function. Separate from this we identified a new function for the RNA binding protein Staufen2 in early patterning of the anterior endoderm.